Transportation

The bright yellow double deckered caterpillars are an icon of the Berlin city-scape. They are slower than any of the other means of public transport but will certainly take you anywhere you wish to go with growls and aplomb. Bus and tram stops have yellow and green ‘H’ signs.

Berlin has an extensive network of railways which can be fairly confusing for a first time visitor. The national rail service is Deutsche Bahn and it has four train categories. The Regional (RBP), the Regional Express (RE), the Interregional Express (IRE) and the Intercity Express (ICE). The Express lines have trains that do not stop at every station. Tickets can be bought online or at a station, but can be expensive. There are several special offers that can make your travel a lot cheaper so look out for them in newspapers, TV and online. The English language paper ‘Exberliner’ has useful information and news.

Taxis can be a convenient method to get around when there is no other option. They can be flagged down on the road (when the yellow light is on, the taxi is empty) or at a taxi stand. You can expect Taxi drivers to speak passable English. Although all taxis are metered, there may sometimes be a cheaper alternative if you are only going a short distance and have flagged the taxi on the road.

There are facilities for renting cars in Germany, provided you have a valid driving license and are over 18 years old. Depending on the type of rental car, you might need to have held your license for 1-3 years. A young driver surcharge may sometimes be added and all passengers are required to wear a seatbelt. Most of the big car rental companies are situated close to the Tegel Airport and prices are reasonable. Cars rented in Germany can be driven to the surrounding countries, provided the rental company is notified. They generally have a list of allowable countries.

Berlin has two Airports; Tegel, about 10km from the centre of the city, and Shoenefeld, about 20km to the south-east of the city. Tegel is the main international airport and services most of the large carriers such as the national airline Lufthansa, Delta Airways, British Airways, Continental Airways, Emirates and KLM. There are plenty of public transportation options to get to the city from Tegel; the S-Bahn, U-Bahn and the buses all have dedicated lines. This is probably the easiest method as well, but for extra convenience you can take a taxi, which will cost around €30 to the city.

Germany has a world-renowned series of superhighways, the AutoBahn; they were in fact the first of their kind in the world. Driving in Berlin and elsewhere in Germany therefore, is enjoyable and safe. Traffic moves on the right so be wary if you are inexperienced in this. Try to avoid the far left lane on the autobahn as speeds can often exceed 100mph/161kph.

There are efficient Bicycle routes through most of Berlin and hiring a bike for your stay can be an interesting and fulfilling way to see the city. Bikes can also be taken on trains and some buses. The cyclist hotline (01805 151 415) will give you information on the rules and regulations to do with biking in the city.